No shine and protective press mat for the head of a garment pressing machine



Oct. 1, 1957 v K. s. HICKS 2,80

NO SHINE AND PROTECTIVE PRESS MAT FOR THE HEAD OF A GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1954 l2 10 15A) I Z l I f 12 x09 INVENTOR.

KELLY S. HICKS BY T ENEY United States Patent THE HEAD OF A GARMENT PRESSING MA- CHINE Kelly S. Hicks, Lexington, Ky. Application November 15, 1954, Serial No. 468,780 1 Claim. (Cl. 38-66) This invention relates to an attachment for a steam pressing machine used for the purpose of pressing garments or clothing and is designed as an attachment to the head of the pressing machine for the purpose of preventing: the breaking of buttons, cutting of materials by zippers, shine on the garments and impressions sometimes caused in the pressing operation in certain materials. It may be called a no shine and protective press mat.

Pressing machines to which this invention is to be attached are of the type most generally used in the practice of pressing clothing and consist of the bottom table or ironing board which is covered with a padded material and is commonly known as the buck and a clamping head designated in form and size to conform to the buck when clamped down on the garments to be pressed and steam is forced through the head while it is under pressure to effect the pressing operation.

The head of the pressing machine is constructed of 'metal with small holes in the bottom part of the metal so that the steam when released under pressure passes through these holes and into the clothing for the pressing operation. This invention in addition to the aforesaid purposes is also constructed to spread the steam more or less equally through the clothing.

A detailed description of this invention is hereinafter made, using the attached drawings which are made a part I hereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the head of the machine with an illustrative form of the invention applied to the metal part of the head;

Fig. 2 is a view of the head in a raised position, looking directly at the bottom part of the head which is shown to be curved or concave, over which this invention is applied;

Fig. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the head in a raised position with portions of the materials contained in this invention cut back to show them in the order in which they are made up and applied as a unit to the head.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the invention as it appears before being applied to the head of the machine, and Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of this invention as applied to the head. 7

The present invention comprises a wire or metal screen 2 of approximately inch mesh made in a concave form to fit closely against the face of the metal head 1 through which the steam passes from the head through small holes as shown in the drawing. The wire mesh is made to conform in size and shape to the face of the standard head and is made into a curved metal form approximately inch in thickness to fit closely around the edge of the head so as to force the steam downward as the head is pressed down on the buck and the steam is released. A sheet of steel wool or like material 3 covers the entire head about M1 to /2 inch in thickness and'is attached to the wire mesh as hereinafter described. The purpose of the steel wool is to hold the heat and to spread the steam and also to help in forming a cushion, together with the other materials, to prevent the breaking of buttons, cutting of materials by zippers while being pressed, and to prevent shine or impressions on the clothing. A sheet of asbestos 4 then covers the entire steel wool layer and is securely attached to the metal edges 2,807,895 Patented Oct. 1, 1957 forming around the edge of the head. This asbestos also helps in making the cushion and further prevents burning or damage to the clothing as the heat comes through the steel Wool.

A metal form 5 to which the steel wool and asbestos covers are fastened at the edges conforms closely to the edge of the head 1.

A felt pad 6 is next interposed and is made to cover the entire mat and serves as an additional padding and also collects moisture from the steam so that an excessive amount of moisture will not go into the clothing during the pressing operation. Lastly, a second asbestos covering 7 fits over the entire bottom of the mat and is fastened tightly around the top edge of the head to hold the mat as a Whole securely in place and to assist in preventing an excessive 'amountof heat from coming in I contact with the garments during the pressing operation.

Re. 17,216 Green Feb. 12, 1929 1,452,726 Brunk Apr. 24, .1923 1,616,356 Diener Feb. 1, 1927 1,669,068 Simpson May 8, 1928 1,810,984 Ray June 23, 1931 1,839,553 Heighes Jan. 5, 1932 2,016,713 Galvin Oct. 8, 1935 2,486,740 Freeman Nov. 1, 1949 2,521,534 .Patu'son Sept. 5, 1950 2,539,714 Young et a1 Jan. 30,1951

As best seen in Fig. 4, cross strips of light metal 8 are made to conform to the concave surface of'the head, and to which the screen 2 and the steel wool 3 are at tached. A wire draw string 9 running through the edges of the outer asbestos covering may be used to draw the covering securely around the edges of the head. Small rings 11 may be used for joining springs 10, the other ends of which are fixed to eyelets in the edge of the metal rim 5 by means of metal springs 12. Additional springs 13 are attached over the top of the head to hold the no shine and protective press mat in place as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

It has been found that this construction and assembly provides a long-felt need for a press head covering which, while being made of simple common materials, will not break buttons or attachments on clothing, will not cause zippers to cut into the fabrics, and will not produce shine or undesired impressions of hard materials on some materials, such as were difiicult to avoid with some of the equipment previously used, without sacrificing on the quality of the pressing. At the same time this mat provides a better control for a more even distribution of the steam and heat without overheating or overdarnpening.

Various modifications in the form and materials may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A concaved faced mat for a pressing-head, having an innermost layer of screen of about one-quarter inch mesh preformed to fit closely around the edge of the head, a layer of steel wool of approximately one-quarter inch thickness over said screen and attached thereto, said steel wool and said screen being attached to transverse strips of light metal, a sheet of asbestos covering said steel wool, a substantially L-shaped metal form adapted to surround the periphery of the head, enclosing and fastened to the steel wool and asbestos layers at their edges, a felt pad over said asbestos layer and over a portion of the L-shaped metal form, and a second asbestos covering over the entire bottom of the mat and adapted to be secured around the top edge of the head to hold the mat as a whole securely in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

